Activated charcoal vs activated carbon

[JDuong916]

I normally use large media carbon (pellet) for my tank. I find the larger media easier to rinse and it doesnt seem to get stuck in the sponge of my media reactor. I was looking into some planting directions for succulents and the instruction said to use activated charcoal. I looked this up the activated charcoal and it looks just like the kent activated carbon i use. So, is activated charcoal the same as activated carbon? I'd really like to know because it is a whole lot cheaper than the carbon.

[zsuman101]

the difference could be that the charcoal for plants could have elevated phosphate. reef carbon will have little if any phosphate

[hkgar]

They are the same thing:

http://www.generalcarbon.com/facts-about-activated-carbon/activated-carbon-faq/

Thanks google

[bertoni]

It probably is okay, but carbon is manufactured for different purposes. What we want is carbon graded for use on water. I agree that the label of charcoal vs carbon isn't important, but some grades might have a fair amount of phosphate, although I haven't heard of that being a problem in actual application.

[JDuong916]

I just seem to notice that a lot of additives in this hobby are chemicals used elsewhere that can be had for pennies on the dollar. I mean look at Randys recipe, who would have thought ice melting stuff could be used for calcium. I bet b ionic and the other supplement companies werent too happy about that.

I hear a lot about elevated phosphates in stuff, but is this really a concern? Why would activated charcoal even have more phosphates in it (i'm in no way qualified to assume this)? That being said, I prefer to use larger media carbon and I'd much rather pay $10 for 64 oz of activated charcoal if im getting the same thing as activated carbon. Any thoughts on this?

[anthonys51]

Activated charcoal, granular activated carbon, granular active carbon – all different terms which just so happen to refer to one specific type of charcoal. Or, more accurately, it is charcoal reheated and oxidized, making the charcoal highly porous.
dont get the cheaper activated charcoal, you want to get the carbon, its the same thing but better processed if i remember correctly. its like saying tap water and rodi water is the same thing, yes and no hope that helps

[bertoni]

The phosphate level depends on the source for the product and how it's treated. Some products made from palm trees (I think) had more phosphate in them compared to coal products, but the level wasn't high enough to be an issue, from what I recall. I think it's mostly a non-issue, but as people get more adventurous as to what they try in their tanks, we might see a problem.

[ReefsandGeeks]

I've always been under the impression that the pellets have a lower holding capacity than the normal stuff for reefing. I don't have any data to back that up though. It does seem denser, so I'm assuming that's right.

[JDuong916]

The phosphate level depends on the source for the product and how it's treated. Some products made from palm trees (I think) had more phosphate in them compared to coal products, but the level wasn't high enough to be an issue, from what I recall. I think it's mostly a non-issue, but as people get more adventurous as to what they try in their tanks, we might see a problem.

Other than elevated phosphates, do you think I'd run into any other problems using activated charcoal?

I also have another unrelated chemistry question. I've had an aiptasia problem that I got rid of with a filefish. I removed the fish after I caught him munching on zoas. The aiptasia has now come back. I want to take the rocks out and let it sit in a bath of muriatic acid and water then dry and rinse the rocks. Do i have to worry about the rocks absorbing the acid and later leeching the acid back into the tank?

[bertoni]

I doubt that you'll have any problems. If it's a liquid phase product, it probably will work reasonably well, at the very least.

Live rock can't adsorb acid. It reacts with the acid and neutralizes it. A good rinse should remove any possible pockets of acid that haven't yet reacted.

[JDuong916]

Thanks for the advice. I'll give the charcoal a try.

I know you're a chemistry expert when you use words like aDsorb. :thumbsup:

[Shotter]

I just seem to notice that a lot of additives in this hobby are chemicals used elsewhere that can be had for pennies on the dollar. I mean look at Randys recipe, who would have thought ice melting stuff could be used for calcium. I bet b ionic and the other supplement companies werent too happy about that.

I hear a lot about elevated phosphates in stuff, but is this really a concern? Why would activated charcoal even have more phosphates in it (i'm in no way qualified to assume this)? That being said, I prefer to use larger media carbon and I'd much rather pay $10 for 64 oz of activated charcoal if im getting the same thing as activated carbon. Any thoughts on this?

My understanding is the Phosphorus Acid (H3PO3) they use to wash the carbon/charcoal after is the problem, not the actual product.
carbon all comes down to pore size also - something I am spending a lot of time on at the moment as frustratingly, it doesnt seem easy to get specific types of carbon in the UK as easy in the US - you guys have BRS which will sell the different types of carbon such as Lignite, bituminous - we tend to only se bulk 'activated carb on' or the expensive reef ones.

Essentially, we want to find a large pore carbon to remove the molecules we are looking for the in the aquarium.. Hagen carbon is said to be very good VFM

Has anyone had any experience with Vertex ROX 0.8? Again, difficult to buy in the UK but I will buy it if it really comes with the quality.

[bertoni]

An acid rinse shouldn't leave much behind if the carbon is treated properly. Some products produced from wood or the like had a bit more phosphate in them than others, but the total amount was still tiny.

[Shotter]

Has anyone used Vertex Rox 0.8?

[bertoni]

Lots of people have used ROX 0.8 successfully. It seems to be a very good product. I've used SeaChem Matrix Carbon and a few others, and they seemed okay, but I did not have a very demanding application.

[hkgar]

A some what related question. I am using BRS Premium Rox .8 carbon in a TLF 150 reactor. After about 2 weeks or less the carbon clogs up so bad that the back pressure created on the feed line causes leakage at the water inlet.

Why would the carbon clog up so quickly?

[bertoni]

I'd guess it's either organic debris or bacterial slime if the carbon comes apart easily. If it solidifies into a solid chunk with white or tannish precipitate on it, I'd guess calcium carbonate is forming.